Mattress reinforcing device



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 5, 1948 JNVENTOR. MROJRQEKGEIK ATTORNEY I 13, 1951 M. ROSBERGER 2,545,310

MATTRESS REINFORCING DEVICE Filed June 5, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mum ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,545,310 MATTRESS nnnvronomo DEVICE Max Rosberger, Newark, N. J.

Application June 5, 1948, Serial No. 31,251

' Claims. (01. 5-317) 2 This invention relates to improvements in mattresses and coil spring sections thereof. Mattresses and coil spring sections are initially manufactured with spring and other yielding devices .tend to sag at the center, where the greatest weight is usually concentrated, so that, in time, the sagging effect becomes very pronounced and impairs the usefulness of the mattress and coil spring.

Pursuant to the instant invention, an expansion device is provided, which is adapted to be .secured to or formed integralwith the mattress .and/or coil spring section, providing ready means for compensating for the sagging thereof, in a manner which will become apparent from the description hereinafter.

These and other advantageous objects, which .will appear from the drawings, and from the description hereinafter, are accomplished by the ,structure of my invention, of which embodiments are illustrated inthe drawings. It will be apparent, from ,a consideration of said drawings, and the following description, that the invention may be embodied in other forms suggested thereby, and such other forms as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered within the scope and purview of the instant invention.

In the drawings: 4

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a mattress providedwith an expansion, device pursuant to my invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a coil spring having an expansion device embodying my invention integrally incorporated in the medial section 'thereof,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a coil spring .having an expansion device embodying my invention secured to the medial portion of the top thereof,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one form of expansion device embodying my invention,

Fig. 5 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view of another form thereof,

Fig. 6 is a top plan View, partly fragmentary, of a further form thereof,

Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views of other forms thereof,

Fig. 9 Ban enlarged vertical, elevational view, taken on line 99 of Fig. 6, and

Fig. 10 is a similar view, taken on line |o- |u' of Fig. 6.

As shown in the drawings, the expansion device of my invention preferably comprises a flexible sheet member with means-manually operableto contract the expansion device marginally to arch the same and thereby provide the required expansion for the mattress or coil spring.

In the form shown in Fig. 8, the expansion device 20 comprises a flexible sheet member 2| which may be arched, as noted in said figure, upon the operation of the contracting member 25.

In the form shown in Fig. 7, the expansion device 30 comprises flexible sheet members 2|, 2|, marginally secured together or within the marginal members 24, 24, to which the contracting member 25 is secured. By this arrangement, it will be apparent that upon the operation of the contracting member, the marginal edges 24, 24' will be brought together to archthe sheets 2|, 2| and thereby provide an expansion device for the purpose above set forth. The expansion device 20 of Fig. 8 is provided with a contracting mem-- ber 25 which may be of any desired or convenient construction and is manually operable, as shown in Fig. 8, illustrating one of many possible variations of said device, comprising a manually rotatable turnbuckle 2'! connected to the marginal strips 24, 24.

In' the form shown in Fig. 1, the mattress M is provided with a compartment 26 which may be incorporated in said mattress in the initial manufacture thereof or may be secured to the underside thereof medially. Said compartment may be closed at the ends thereof by a flap or flap members, having any desired or convenient zipper arrangement. The turnbuckle 21 may be connected to the marginal plates by springs 28, or the like, if so desired. The flexible sheet members 2|, 2i may be provided with springs (29, Fig. '7) underlying the same and secured at their ends to the strips 24, 24. If desired, the spring members, instead of being secured to said marginal plates, might be of the coil type, and may be positioned intermediate the sheets 2|, 2| and terminally secured-thereto. The function of these springs is 'to reinforce the sheets 2|, 2|, and absorb forces exerted.

In the form shown in Fig. 2, the expansion device 30 is incorporated in the coil spring 0 medially' thereof, in initial manufacture, by securing the same to coil units medially in any desired or convenient manner.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, the expansion device 20 is secured to the top of the coil spring'C,

medially, by bolts 32 or the like.

' In the form shown in Fig. 4, the contracting device 35, like the contracting device 25 of Figs. 7

:the former. theshaftfifl and have :cables 55, t entrained thereover, said .cables being .comiected at oppositeendsto said reels and to themarginalstrips by internally threaded nut members 43, 43f,

44, 44. It will be understood that the internally threaded members and corresponding ,portions .of shaft 36, are provided with suitable left and right threads, so that on rotation of the shaft'fiirin'one direction, the nut members 43,413 and- 14, M'-.Will be drawn together to cause the frame, and thereby the marginal strips 24, 24' of the expansion device, to contract. This is attained in the dezvice. shown in Fig. 4 hyxCOIlilECtlIlg :the -nut, members tothe rods :39, .45 -of .the irameiby links ',45,

ltwillbeapparent .thatin the ;use:cf the structure showniin Fig. i, just described, .it is simply necessary gtorotate the crank in one direction to acause.thacontractionof the strips 24, 215 and .therebycause the flexiblezsheet member 2i, 2.! to expandinto convexo-convex term.

A .similar arrangement :is shown in Fig. 5, wherein hearingsiiifi, B .arefixed-to the sheetfz i and ashaftifil isjnurnalled in said bearingsand ..has fixed .l/O the outer ,end thereof ,a -.crank 15-2. Gears 5-3, 53' are ,fiXed to tfrieshait 5'! inspaced relation and mesh with gears it, 54 ,rotatably disposed :on standards 55 551,.saidgears having keyed thereto :threaded members 55, 58 engaging {the internally threaded sockets 7151,4153 fixed ttozthe sheet member 2 l .In'the arrangement shown in Figs-6, '9'and '10 1a ,shaft'fifi is rotatably and slidablyjournalledin standards they, in telescopic en agement :with

posts 62, 62.fixed.to the-sheet memberiiflsprixqg rnembers $3, 63 dieing interposed betweenthe-top rendsof ,theposts and thelower end of'the standards and normally urging the latter away-from Reels ar -slidablyrkeyed to .,and-connected toone end of spring =6? which is fixed. at ,the otheriend to .thereel fi tsaidispring normallyurgingithe clutch element (it intoengagementwiththe clutch head-68 of the'standard iii to lock the shaft .60 against rotation. The

clutch elements .66 and '58 are preferably provided with mating serrations or other clutch faces. The-reels 64, 64 are provided with internal-noncircularapertures conforming to the cross-sectional configuration of the shaft 50 so as to slidably key said reels to theshaft. Theclutch elementfit iskeyed to said shaft, theshaftfreely .passingthroughthe clutch platett of the standard 65 and through the standard 6|. :By this arrangement,.on movement of the ,crank 69 of shaft G5,,in5the direction of the arrow ,D:of 6, the clutch element at will be moved away from {the clutchhead;-58,;permitting,the ,crankvto betrotated to contract the strips 24,,261. Uponereleasc ,of the-,crank- 69,rth,e spring 6i will urgettheaclutch arrangement .fifieintotclutch engagement with .the head 68 of the standard 16! ,.V-automatically locking the parts againstaccidental displacement.

It will be apparenttothose skilled in theart 4 to which the instant invention relates, that modifications of the structure shown in the drawings and described herein, may be made within the scope and purview of the invention, as defined in the appended claims, Thus, for example, fiat springs, such as band or cable springs, may be substituted for the no sag style of spring 29 shown in Fig. 7.

The invention herein disclosed is adapted for --,use in connection with upholstered furniture, "studio sofa beds, love seats, auto seats, and, in fact, for all articles used for seating purposes,

having upholstered materials, springs or other ;yie1dable :portions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters :Patent .is:

1. A device to compensate for the medial saggixig *of an article of furniture, comprising a resilient, flexible sheet member having spaced parallel: edges, strips securedto said edges,: spring members.havingouter ends secured to said. strips, andzan, expansion and contractiondevice secured .tothe inner :ends of:-said;springs connectingthe :same and operable to expand andcontract :the

sheet member.

. 2. rnrdevice tocompensate for the medialicon- :traction and sagging :of anwarticle of furniture,

comprising a pair of flexible, resilient sheetmembers, and -means engaging .the: sheet .members .to hold them together, :said 1 sheet members "having spaced parallel edges, springs secured at their outerends tossaid edges,"a rectangular-expansion :frame secured to the otherendsof said springs,

and manually operable means .in said expansion :frame .to expand and contract ithe .frame :and thereby, through ,said springs, to .expand and contract the sheetmembers in convexo-convex form. 1

.3. A device tocompensate for "themedialcontraction and-saggingo'f an article of ifurniture, comprising aflexible, resilient sheet=member havling spaced marginal edges, stripssecured to sa'id edges, a manually rotatable turnbuckle, and .means connecting the turnbuckle :to the strips :whereby, on rotationof the turnbuckle in one direction, the marginal edges of the sheet member will bedrawn together so thatthe-sheet' member will define an arch in cross-sectiomand, on rotatiomof the turnbuckle in the other directionjthe marginal edges of the sheet will =rnove "apart to :de'fine-an arch oflesser radius.

4. -A device to-compensate forthe medialcontraction and sagging of an article-of furniture,

; comprising av resilientflexible 1 sheet memberjahaving spaced. marginal edges, strips-securedto said :edges, manually rotatable means andmeans connecting the first mentioned means to the "strips whereby, on rotation of the first "mentioned 'means in one direction, the marginaledges o'f the 'sheetrmember will be drawn toward-each other so that the sheet member will define an archin cross-section, and, on rotation of :the :first 'mentioned meansin the other direction, the rv marginal edges ;of the-sheet will ,move apartto :definean arch of lesser radius.

- 5. A :device to zcompensatelfor theamediallcontraction and sagging of -an;-art-icleof furniture,

;comprising a resilientfiexible; sheet; memberzhaving spaced marginal edges, manually-rotatable means and means ,ccnnectingrtheifirst :mentioned means to the marginal:edgesnfthesheetmem- :ber, 1 whereby, on rotation of :the :first mentioned means in one direction, the marginal edges of -the sheetmember will -be drawngtoward each REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Turner et a1 Apr. 1, 1930 Vickrey Apr. 15, 1930 Longfellow Aug. 6, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany 'Mar. 2, 1907 

